Means for discharging materials from railroad-cars or other similar containers



MEANS FOR DISCHARGING MATERIALS .IA. CAMPBELL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5' 919".

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FROM RAILROAD CARS OR OTHER SIMILAR CONTAINERS.

Patented June 1, 1920.

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jnbarzi'or flrggk A. CAMPBELL.

MEANS FOR DISCHARGING MATERIALS FROM RAILROAD CARS OR OTHER SIMILAR CONTAINERS.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, I919.

1,342,091. Patented June 1, 1920.

3 SHEET SSHEET 2- [we/afar flry yle Qznpbell MEANS FOR DISCHARGING MATERIALS A. CAMPBELL, FROM RAILROAD CARS OR OTHER SIMILAR, CONTAINERS- APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 1.919-

Patented June 1, 1920.

SSHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARG YLE CAMPBELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR TO ENTEIQPRISE RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR DISCHARGING MATERIALS FROM.RAILROAD-CARS OR OTHER SIMILAR CONTAINERS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 1 1920 Application filed July 5, 1919. Serial No. 308,736.;

tion, reference being had tothe accompanymg drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in means for dlscharging materials from a railroad car or otherslmilar containers.

In the carrying of grain and other bulk materials in railroad cars, great difliculty has heretofore been experienced in providing suitable means for effecting the dis- 2 charge of the grain or other material from the cars. It is the usual practice to load grain and the like in ordinary box cars and the usual side door openings are most frequently closed by nailing a series of 2 planks across the door openings. Tounload the car, it is necessary to chop away some of these planks and in so doing, considerable grain is lost, chips of wood becomes mixed with the grain and there is of course a loss of the planks which are chopped. While it is true that many attempts have been made to provide suitable grain doors applicable to box cars, the same have not'found favor with the railroad companies.

Someboxcars have been made that are provided with hoppers suitable for effecting discharge of grain and like materials butthese cars are comparatively few in number and involve an additional expense to the 40 railroad companies which the latter cannot ordinarily afford. Furthermore, these grain hopper cars, so-called, are so designed that they ma'y be built onlyas new-cars and no satisfactory means has hretefore been de signed, so. far as I am'a'ware, of converting old ordinary .box cars into cars suitably adapted for discharging grain .without the destruction of all or part of the'usual planks box cars or readily and cheaply applied to ordinary box cars now in service and which will afford an effective means of discharging suflicient grain from the loaded car to permit the removal or opening of the usual side door closures of the car without destructive effects on such doors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a discharge chuteapplicable to box cars and other containers employed for carrying grain and like bulk materials,

- which chute is provided with closures at its entrance and discharge ends to thereby avoid any possible loss ofthe grain from leakage during transit.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a chute of the character above described which may be manufactured, shipped, and applied'to cars as a unit or single article of manufacture and without necessitating any elaborate or expensive changes on the car to which it is applied.

Other objects'of the invention will more clearly appear from the description hereinafter following and embraced in the claims. In the drawings forming a part of this specificationFigure 1 is avertical sectional view taken transversely of a box car show-1 ing my improvements in connection there,- with, the section being located midway of the car and passing through my improved discharge chute. Fig. 2 is apart vertical sectional view, part end elevational view 1 and illustrating more particularly the de tails of construction of the chute and'oper ating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a side elevas tional view of a portion of a car and of the improved discharge chute. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but upon a somewhat smaller scale and illustrates a greater portion of the side of the car and the relation 3 of the-location of my improved discharge chute witherespect to the usual side door 1 opening of acar. Fig. 5 is a View similar.

to Fig. 2 illustrating another iembodime nt' of my invention. And Fig. 6 is a view similar to F ig; 1 but showing the construction illustrated in Fig, 5

Referring first to the construction illusf nailed across. theside doors of the car to H 50 form the grain closure. I .trated in Figs. 1', 2, 3 and 4, 10 denotes one One object of my inventlon is to provide of the center sills of acar, ll'the permanent a simple and relatively inexpensive device I or fixed flooring of a car, '12 the usual side which may be either incorporated in new door opening, and 13a pivoted floor door,"

Said floor door 13 is shown in horizontal position in Fig. 1 where it forms a part of the floor of the car when the latter is used as an ordinary box car for the carrying of package freight or other freight not of a fluid character. Said door 13 is pivoted along its outer edge as indicated at 14 so that it is adapted to be swung to a vertical position as indicated in Fig. 4, to form a grain closure for the side door opening 12.

My improved discharging arrangement is designated generally by the reference A. Said device is composed, broadly, of an upper member 15 preferably in the form of a casting, a lower chute proper 16 preferably in the form of sheet metal, an upper door closure 17, a lower door closure 18, and door operating means hereinafter specifically .described.

The upper member 15 is preferably rectangular in cross section anC is provided on all sides thereof with intergral laterally projecting lugs 1919. The outer lugs 19, 2'. 6. those lugs 19 located substantially beneath the side wall of the car, are supported by an angle iron 20 extending lengthwise of the car in the nature of a side sill and forming a part of the underframe of the car. The inner lugs 19 are supported by and riveted to a longitudinally extending Z-bar 21 suitably united to the floor or un-.

\ .derframe of the car and, in some instances,

The sheet metal portion 16 of the chute A is riveted at its upper end to the member 15 and is formed with a deflection or incline adapted to direct the discharge of the grain or other material to the center of the car, i. 6., between the rails of the track. At its lower end, the sheet "metal section 16 has I secured thereto a mouth casting 23 extenddent that I provide an effective ing around all sides thereof and riveted thereto. Said casting '23 on three sides thereof has a beveled fla e mouthindicated at 24. Along its upper e ge, said casting 23 is formed with a curved flange 25 concentric with thepivot 26 of the door 18. The door 18 is formed on three vedges thereof with beveled flanges 27 coiiperatlng with the beveled flanges 24 of the casting 23 and along its upper edge, the door 18 is formed with a convex flange 28 cooperable with the concave flange 25. In this manner, it is evigrain seal at, the discharge end of the chute. The door 17 is pivotally mounted on the I member 15as indicated at 29 andis adapted to swing downwardly within the chute. Co-

. pivotally attached to the operable with the edges of the door 17 are inwardly extending flanges around the edges of the member 15, said flanges being indicated at 30 and, together with the door 17, forming a supporting surface for the grain or other loading of the car.

For operating the doors 17 and 18, I preferably employ the following device. Secured to the outer under side of the portion 16 of the chute are'end brackets 3131 and intermediate brackets 32-32. Rotatably mounted on said brackets 31 and 32 is an operating shaft indicated at 33. Rigidly associated with the shaft 33 are duplicate levers 3434 which extend through suitable slots provided in the brackets 32-32, to the interior of the chute. Pivotally attached to the upper ends of the lever arms 34 as at 35 are links 36. The latter are in turn pivotally connected at their upper ends to suitable lugs 37 formed on the under side of the door 17. The levers 34 and links 36 and their attachments to the shaft 33 and door 17, respectively, areso arranged that the levers and links form supporting struts for the door 17 when the latter is in closed position. Associated with each lever 34 and the shaft 33 is an arcuate flange 38 disposed as most clearly shown in Fig. 1. Said arcu-.

ate flanges 38 correspond in width to the slots provided in the brackets 32 so that, as the levers 34 swingto the dotted position shown in Fig. 1, said flanges 38 will form an effective seal at all times to prevent any discharge of the grain through the slots of the chute.

To operate the lower door 18, I employ links 39 which are pivotally connected as indicated at-40 to the respective lever arms 34 and to adjustable bolts 41 mounted in thedoor 18. It is evident from the foregoing that the opening and closing and locking of the doors "17 and 18 will always be simultaneous.

To operate the shaft 33 in a convenient manner from the side of the car, I provide a suitable pawl and ratchet mechanism as follows. At'one end of the shaft 33 and just beyond the outer face of the corresponding end wall of the chute, I secure a ratchet wheel 42 to the shaft and oscillatably mount on said shaft a manually operable lever or handle 43; Said lever 43 is provided with a ,pivoted pawl 44 cooperable with the ratchet wheel 42. The lever- 43 is held, when not'in use, by a pivoted latch 45.

To lock the shaft 33 against accidental rotation durlng movement of'the car, I pro vldea lockmgdog 46 pivotally secured to the casting 23 as indicated at 47 and 006perable with said dog 46 is a cam lock 48 chute as indicated at 49.

From inspection of Fig. 4, it will be noted that the discharge or grain chute is disposed opposite and closely ad'acent to the side door opening of the car. lVith th1s arrangement, when the car is to be unloaded,

the operator merely releases the shaft 33 so be readily opened without destroying the same. This is true whether the side door opening closure is in the form of a pivoted fioor door as I have described, or in the form of the usual nailed planks or in some other form. It,'will also be noted that my improved means can be moved, shipped and .applied as a unit to either new or old cars at very small expense over and above the cost of the chute itself. Inthis way, the utility of ordinary box cars now in service may be greatly increased and furthermore without adding any excessive unproductive or dead weight to the car.

By providing the lower door 18 on the chute, leak past the upper door 17 will be caught within the chute and thereby saved. Furthermore, the lower door 18 always provides an effective visual evidence of the condition of the chute and so long as it remains closed, observers may know that accidental loss of grain cannot take place. In the event said lower door 18 appears open while the car is in transit, a warning is thereby obtained to look to the chute to ascertain whether, or not any grain is being accidentally'lost. The door 18 furthermore forms an effective weather seal for the chute and the operating mechanism and keeps the inter-ior of the chute clean so that no foreign matter will become mixed with the grain when it is being discharged from the car.

Referring next to the construction illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the same general principles are employed.

Inthis form,the chute designated generally' by the reference A is preferably cast as a single piece as clearly shown in Fig. 6. In this instance, the chute is formed to direct the discharge ofthegrain to the side I of thecar, z. 6., outside of the rails. Inthe construction shown in Figs. '5 and 62the upper end of the chute A" is left flushwith the fixed-floor 1111 amino pivoted floor door is utilized. The chute A is attached to the underf raming of the carby suitable means as for instance by the laterally extended lugs 119 supported on and rivetedto angle irons 122. 'Cen'tering blocks 50 extend along the inner andouter sides of thechute, said; blocks being bolted to; the angle irons as 1n- .di'c'ated at'51. A longitudinally extendmg angle iron 120 is provided to which the any grain which may accidentally chute A may be directly riveted as indicated at 52.

The upper door 117 of the chute is ar-i ranged and operated substantially the same as the door 17 shown in the other constructions, 2'. e., the door 117 is ed on the casting A and is operated by a pivotally supp ort-' link 136, lever arm 134 carried by a shaft 133. The shaft 133 in the present construc- .tion is mounted in suitable bearing brackets 131 preferably cast integral with the cast ing A. A similar arcuate flange 138 is em-. ployed to' effectively seal the opening through the chute to accommodate move- -ments of the door operating mechanism.

Also, to form a backing or abutment for the lever 134C,v an integral shoulder 53 may be cast on the interior of the chute, the shoulder 53 being so located that when the door ver 143- rigid with the shaft 133, a pivoted locking dog 146 and a pivoted locking cam 148.. For cotiperation with the dog 146, the lever 143 is provided with a radial arm 54 as clearly shown in Fig. 5. r

In some instances, where the door at the discharge end of the chute is readily accessible, it may not be necessary to provide means for operating said door. shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a lower door closure 118 pivotally attached to the chute proper; as indicated at 126, and to lock'said door 118 I have in closed position I provide a slidable pin 153 slidably mounted in suitable lugs 154 cast on the. outer side of the-door 118. Said pin 153 at its lower end is tapered as indiy cated at 55 to facilitate its entrance into a jacent projecting flange ofthe chuteproper. 1] i As will be evident from inspection of 6, when the locking pin 153 is in position, shown, the door'118 will be held in closed position and-may he -opened bymerely lifts ing the pin.. To prevent tampering with the parts,.the pin 153 may be perforated as indicated at 57' to accommodate "the: usual raila ,way lead seal. 1' As will be understood, vthe ,door 118 and the chute proper are so formed at the discharge end as'to' effect a 1 grain seal as described in detail in connection withthe construction shown in1Figs. '1"to 4.

It will be'evident that the arrangementfl shown in Figs. 5' and 6'possessesthe'same j advantages andobtainsthe same results as hereinbefore set forth in connection with the construction illustrated in the other figures of the drawing,

110 cooperating opening '56 formed onan ad-;

Although I have herein shown and describedwhat I now consider the preferred methodsof carrying out the invention, the same are merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications as come Within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

g 1. Ina car adapted for the carrying of grain and other materials in bulk and having an opening in the floor thereof, the combination with a chute extended vertically downwardly from said floor opening for a portion of its length and having its lower end deflected to one side of the vertical, of a top' door pivotally mounted on said chute and arranged to close the upperend thereof when in horizontal position, means for operating said door including elements located within the chute and a lever located outside of and carried by the chute, a lower door for closing the discharge end of the chute, and means for retaining said lower door in a closed position. v

2; In a car adapted for carrying grain and other materials in bulk and having an opening through the floor thereof, the combination with a chute extending downwardly through said floor opening, of top and bot-- tom dOOI'S' fOI closing the upper and lower ends of the chute, and mechanism for operating' said doors simultaneously both in an opening direction.

3. As an article of manufacture,a device for effecting discharge of grains or other bulk materials from a car or other container and adapted to be applied as a structural unit, said device comprising a chute proper,

' top and bottom doors pivotally attached to the chute and arranged to close the entrance and exit ends. of the chute, respectively, mechanism for operating said top door including a shaft, lever arm, 1ink and operating handle, means for retaining-said bottom door in closed position, and cooperating grain sealing flanges on said chute and bottom door.

4, As an article of manufacture, a device for discharging grain. or other materials in bulk from cars or other containers and adapted for application thereto, said device comprising, a chute proper, an upper door pivotally mounted within the chute, a shaft disposed outside of the chute, means interposed between said shaft and said door for operating the latter, a part of which extend through the wall of the chute, means for maintaining a grain seal where said first named means extend through the wall of the-chute, a lower door pivotallysecured to the chute, means for locking said lower door in' closed position, and cooperating means on said lower door and chute for maintaining a grain seal therebetween.

5. As an article of manufacture, a device for effecting discharge of grains or other bulk materials from a car or the like-and adapted to be applied 'as a unit to the car, said device including, a chute proper having an upper vertical section and a lower laterally deflected section with openings at the top and bottom, the upper part of the chute being arranged to be located flush with the floor of a car and secured thereto, a pivoted .door adapted to close the top of the bottom of the chute, and mechanism for sustaining said top door in closed position, said mechanism including an operating shaft supported by the chute, and a manually operable lever on said shaft disposed outside of the chute and adapted to be operated from the side of the car when the chute is in place.

6. In a car adapted for carrying bulk material, means for discharging bulk material from the car, said means including a downwardly displaceable floor door in the car, a chute beneath said door, mechanism for operating said door, said mechanism including elements disposed within the chute and elements extended to the exterior .of the chute, the chute being suitably recessed to accommodate those elements extending to the exterior thereof, and means for substantially sealing said recessed portions of the chute in all positions of the said mechanism.

' nism-adapted for application to a box car or other receptacle adapted for containing bulk material such as grain, said mechanism comprising a chute, a pivoted door adapted to close the top opening of the chute when in closed position and arranged to swing within the chute when opened, and devices for operating: and supporting said door in closed position, said devices being supported entirely by the chute and including a manually operable lever.

9. As an article of manufacture, mechanism adapted for application to a box car or other receptacle adapted to contain bulk material such as grain, said mechanism comprising a chute open at the top and bottom, a pivoted door arranged to close the top opening of said. chute, said door being arthe chute, a pivoted door adapted to'close I arm,

nected to said door, an arm connected to.

said link and a shaft for rotating the said the said shaft being mounted upon the chute.

11. In a railroad car, the combination with an opening in thefioor thereof, of a chute leading from said opening, a door for closing the upper end of said chute, means for operating said door, including a shaft and a link connecting the shaft to the door, the shaft being mounted upon the said chute.

12. In, a railroad car having a floor, an opening in said floor, a chute leading from said opening, the said chute being provided with a door, and having means for opening and closin the same, the said means including a linki zonnected to the door, a shaft, an arm mounted upon said shaft and means connecting the arm to the link, the chute being provided with an opening for the,

passage of said arm therethrough, the said arm being provided with a lugadapted to fill said opening on rotation of the arm.

13. In. a railroad car, in} combination, a chute having a door, and means for operating said door, said means including a shaft mounted outside of the chute, an arm mounted on said shaft, an opening through said chute for the, passage of the arm, a link within the chute connected to said door and a connection between the said arm and link. 14.'In a railroad car, in combination, a chute having'a door, and means for operating said door, said means including a shaft mounted outside of the chute, an arm mounted on said shaft,.an opening through said chute for the passage of the arm, a link within the chuteconnected to said door, a connection between the said arm and link,

and a lug upon said arm adapted to close' the said opening on rotation of the arm by said shaft.

15. In a railroad car, the combination with an opening in the floor thereof, of a chute leading therefrom, a swinging door closing said chute, a link connected to said door, a shaft mounted outside the said chute, an arm mounted 'upon the said shaft, an opening through the said chute for the passage of said arm, means connecting the link with' the arm and an arcuate lug upon said arm adapted to maintain a closure of said o'ening on rotation of the arm.

16. 11 a railroad car, in combination, a

door, a floor opening near said door, a chute leading downwardly from said opening and angularly deflected at its lower end, the said chute being secured to the car and having a door at its upper end, the said chute being provided with mechanismfor operating said door, the mechanism includ- -ing a link mounted within the chute and attached to the door, a shaft mounted outside the chute, an arm mounted on said shaft, the chute having an opening for the passage of said arm therethrough and means for connecting said arm to the said link within the chute.

, 17. As an article of manufacture, a discharge chute adapted for application to a car as a unitary structure, sa1d chute having an admission opening at the top thereof, a-vertically extending'inclosed section immediately below the top opening and an inclined inclosed section below said vertical section, the chute having a discharge opening at the lower part of said inclined section, the top of the chute being' adapted to be disposed flush with the upper surface of the car floor and with the vertical section thereof extending through the floor, a door for closing said top opening, the door being mounted on said chute and displaceable to a position within said vertically extending section of the chute when opened, and means for supporting said door in closed position including, an operating handle located adj acent said discharge opening.

18. As. an article of manufacture, a discharging device adapted for application to a car, said device-comprising, a chute proper having an opening in the top and an opening at the bottom, a door for closing the top opening, the door being mounted .on said chute and displaceable to a position within the latter when opened, and means for supporting said door in closed position, saidmeans being carried by said chute and including a shaft and a toggle connection between theshaftand. door, said chute having a shoulder against which one element of the toggle is adapted to bear when the door is-in closed position thereby adapting the toggle to act as a strut between the shaft and thedoor when the latter is closed.

19, As an article of manufacture, a device for discharging grain or other materials in bulk from cars and adapted for application thereto in alinement with a floor opening thereof, said device comprising: a chute having a vertically extending upper section adapted to have the top thereof positioned in said floor opening and at its lower end being deflected to one side of the vertical; a top door pivotally mounted on said chute and arranged to ,close the upper end thereof when in horizontal position; a lower door pivotally attached to the chute and adapted to close the discharge end of the chute; a

lever pivotally mounted on said chute; a link pivotally connected at one of its ends to the free end of said lever and at its other end to the said top door; and a link pivotally 5 connected to said lever intermediate the ends of the latter and to said pivoted lower door,

\ whereby,.both the top and lower doors are adapted to be opened and closed simultaneously.

In witness that I claim the foregoing 1 10 have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th day of June 1919.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL. 

